User Reviews

One of the best films ever made. Great direction and cinemathography, magnificent decors, great performances, great music, ... Tom Tykwer did what Stanley Kubrick found impossible: he adapted Suskind's wonderful novel to a fantastic One of the best films ever made. Great direction and cinemathography, magnificent decors, great performances, great music, ... Tom Tykwer did what Stanley Kubrick found impossible: he adapted Suskind's wonderful novel to a fantastic movie. An outstanding masterpiece.…Expand

this movie makes me feel that life is an art! any smell, color sound is perfect a visual beauty highlighting the most beautiful colors and places. on the other hand shows a macabre and brutal reality of this times! Perfume is a Great anthis movie makes me feel that life is an art! any smell, color sound is perfect a visual beauty highlighting the most beautiful colors and places. on the other hand shows a macabre and brutal reality of this times! Perfume is a Great an powerful Masterpiece full of love passion art music colors and murder.…Expand

First I'd like to say that Nanifaye P. is an idiot and only an idiot would rationalize this movie by comparing it to Iraq and insulting the hard work and sacrifices of our soldiers and our country. It's unfortunate that my review First I'd like to say that Nanifaye P. is an idiot and only an idiot would rationalize this movie by comparing it to Iraq and insulting the hard work and sacrifices of our soldiers and our country. It's unfortunate that my review will likely be edited before posting (if posted at all) since it's not PC at the moment to insult other reviewers, but sadly on the other hand, it is quite fashionable to trash anything and everyone that has anything to do with Iraq without a shred of logic to one's insane accusations. On a separate note, the movie was great with a very original storyline coupled with excellent acting and directing. Oh and to answer your question Nanifaye P., what's horrific is that you seem to believe every last bit of nonsense you hear and have the gusto to regurgitate it in something as apolitical as a movie review about perfume. Quite frankly, I'm not quite sure who's sicker, the main character of the movie, or you.…Expand

I have read the book, of course, years before I watched the movie. Patrick Suskind's masterpiece can't compete with this movie. Yet, the movie is a masterpiece itself, it is not the faithful image of the book, it is different, it has its ownI have read the book, of course, years before I watched the movie. Patrick Suskind's masterpiece can't compete with this movie. Yet, the movie is a masterpiece itself, it is not the faithful image of the book, it is different, it has its own value. The performances were excellent, Great direction too! And the visuals....WOW!....the photography left me speechless! It is one of my favourite movies ever!...my favourite part? THE ENDING! IT IS JUST SPECTACULARLY FLAWLESS Do not miss it! WATCH this film for it is a hidden diamond!…Expand

Suskind's masterpiece cannot compete with the movie, but the film itself is a beautiful piece of art. The photography is absolutely flawless, the music left me breathless and I was absolutely captivated by the story of the monstrous ParisianSuskind's masterpiece cannot compete with the movie, but the film itself is a beautiful piece of art. The photography is absolutely flawless, the music left me breathless and I was absolutely captivated by the story of the monstrous Parisian murderer. I absolutely recommend reading Suskind's book first and then watching the movie witch will give you an absolute exquisite aftertaste.…Expand

The person behind the direction of this film was clearly exaggerating from start to finish and savored every last annoying sniff. The story was actually quite engaging, and while it may have been a vacuous experience it was quite hard to lookThe person behind the direction of this film was clearly exaggerating from start to finish and savored every last annoying sniff. The story was actually quite engaging, and while it may have been a vacuous experience it was quite hard to look away indeed. No one can deny that the film was well shot.…Expand

The absurd ending stops the film from being a classic. The rest of the film is excellent; a very good script, excellent acting, and brilliant direction. Now if they only changed the final 15 minutes...

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7

timJul 29, 2007

really really good. i liked it alot but was totally thrown off by the ending. i think if the ending was done a little better, i would have given it a 9 or 10, but it was too laughable. still worth it, one of the best horror/thriller movies ofreally really good. i liked it alot but was totally thrown off by the ending. i think if the ending was done a little better, i would have given it a 9 or 10, but it was too laughable. still worth it, one of the best horror/thriller movies of recent years.…Expand

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9

FrankHeirtrzlerSep 20, 2007

I

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10

MattB.Mar 10, 2009

Stunning. Ignore the ignorant criticisms....a faithful adaptation of the masterpiece book. It's very much a satire about greed and desire, rather than the mysoginism that some have incorrectly suggested.

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8

MaanJ.Jun 20, 2009

Great, creative and tasty movie. I recommend to be watched clearly with deep imaginary.

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7

scotthDec 23, 2006

Very well made. If one's read the book it is hard to imagine a good film rendition of the wonderful details on smells and smelling that Suskind conveys. Nevertheless, filmmaker and actors have done a good job at portraying the essence Very well made. If one's read the book it is hard to imagine a good film rendition of the wonderful details on smells and smelling that Suskind conveys. Nevertheless, filmmaker and actors have done a good job at portraying the essence of the story.…Expand

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10

RickyS.Dec 27, 2006

Great movie ! Visually brilliant with good actors and a well done job by Tom Tykwer ! One of the best movies in this year ! Enjoy it !

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8

JeffA.Jan 14, 2007

I thought it was visually mesmorizing, and transported the viewer into the world of a seemy and "smelly" world of a long ago France. I felt the main character was portrayed adeptly as this sadly inept and tortured soul, without any real I thought it was visually mesmorizing, and transported the viewer into the world of a seemy and "smelly" world of a long ago France. I felt the main character was portrayed adeptly as this sadly inept and tortured soul, without any real sense of the world or what it was to be alive. He survived through scent and it ironically lead to his demise. [**SPOILER**] The only out of place and seemingly ridiculous scene was the orgy that made a 10 an 8.…Expand

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7

MichaelE.Feb 19, 2007

Near-brilliant. A much finer adaptation of the book than I had ever expected. If the investigation sequence toward the end had been trimmed down (I think that part is ten pages in the book) and had Dustin Hoffman picked an accent and stuck Near-brilliant. A much finer adaptation of the book than I had ever expected. If the investigation sequence toward the end had been trimmed down (I think that part is ten pages in the book) and had Dustin Hoffman picked an accent and stuck with it, it might have been my favorite movie of the year. Not that there aren't other problems, but the film carries a sense of LIFE about it that no other film this year quite has. It's a fantasy that's real. I suspect that he and the other stars were cast because Tykwer liked their noses, but Whishaw is perfect as Grenouille -- he's supposed to be totally empty, a non-entity, someone who would never be noticed on the street, and he does all these things while still managing to hold the attention of the viewer. I suspect that in order to really get this film, one must have felt as though he or she was invisible at some point: Grenouille is an invisible man who manages to force himself to be noticed. And the conclusion is great; very appropriate. It may take some thinking to come to this conclusion, but at the end Grenouille, for a few shining minutes, Grenouille is a power for (almost) good.…Expand

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8

JohnMar 1, 2007

I think Roger Ebert has the right idea about this film. It is haunting. Grenouille is seeking to immortalize the essence of a woman through their scent. As such, his quest is almost more important than the females he must snuff to reach his I think Roger Ebert has the right idea about this film. It is haunting. Grenouille is seeking to immortalize the essence of a woman through their scent. As such, his quest is almost more important than the females he must snuff to reach his goal. We almost admire the final scene in which he may now die because he has driven everyone into a sense of euphoria. I suppose this is where the tale bridges from somewhat real into the stuff of urban legends. However weird the ending, his quest is both evil and purely idealistic. His victims are captured forever in his tiny bottle.…Expand

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9

RomanJ.Mar 2, 2007

First "different" film I've seen in years. Refreshingly off beat, Beautifully filmed.

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10

KarimaA.May 20, 2007

Fascinating movie both on the dramatic and technical levels.

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9

NancyH.Sep 4, 2007

Truly disturbing in a dark way--like road kill, can't take your eyes off the movie. Beautifully shot, and the story has you screaming in parts. What is most frightening is that the main character is devoid of any feeling--he looks at Truly disturbing in a dark way--like road kill, can't take your eyes off the movie. Beautifully shot, and the story has you screaming in parts. What is most frightening is that the main character is devoid of any feeling--he looks at humans as experiments to feed his obsession. It's one of those movies that has you thinking about it for a few days.…Expand

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9

TomG.Jan 10, 2008

I just saw this movie on DVD and It was excellent. I get bored of movies easily because so many are formulaic and predictable. This movie was not. It does demand from the viewer an open mind and a capacious imagination in order to understand I just saw this movie on DVD and It was excellent. I get bored of movies easily because so many are formulaic and predictable. This movie was not. It does demand from the viewer an open mind and a capacious imagination in order to understand and appreciate the movies' trajectory. The ending was brilliant. It required a particularly imaginative understanding of what the power of scent is capable of doing, but it is this that made the bacchanalian love fest credible and the quest transcendent. A unique film that you will either love or hate.…Expand

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10

latakiauOct 29, 2008

First read the book, then watch the movie. You'll realize how difficult is to make a movie out of this ineffable story. I highly recommend both the book and the movie.

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10

JohnM.Jan 17, 2009

Easily in the top five best movies I've seen, and probably my new favorite movie. Extremely dark, creative, and captivating.

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10

Jean-PaulP.Dec 24, 2006

Visually gorgeous, brilliant direction.

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8

ChrisC.Dec 29, 2006

Unique. Great style. Would have liked to see the character's remorse with each killing, but unable to stop himself because of his "artistic" vision (or scent). Too much of an idiot savant, and not enough of a complicated human being.

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8

AlfonsoDAug 14, 2007

Ben Whishaw plays the main character Jean-Baptiste with such amazing realism that I was truly captivated with his story. The story was an amusing one from start to finish. It did fail to provide me the ending I felt it deserved. I did feel Ben Whishaw plays the main character Jean-Baptiste with such amazing realism that I was truly captivated with his story. The story was an amusing one from start to finish. It did fail to provide me the ending I felt it deserved. I did feel good enough about it to recommend it to my friends. I do feel that Ben Whishaw could one day be nominated for an Oscar if he keeps aligning himself in the right rolls.…Expand

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8

NaniFayeP.Aug 17, 2007

First really original plot I have seen in a long time. The trailers made it look like a horror/thriller movie, but I thought it was neither. It was a beautiful portrait of a lost human. He was trying to bottle love, because he had none in First really original plot I have seen in a long time. The trailers made it look like a horror/thriller movie, but I thought it was neither. It was a beautiful portrait of a lost human. He was trying to bottle love, because he had none in himself. Sometimes hated like a devil, sometimes worshiped as a god, but empty inside. It was not offensive to my eyes or my tastes, because the murders were done in such a way that the imagery was beautiful, not horrific. There was nothing frightening or scary about his actions, because they were done for what he saw as a higher cause. I mean, come on, we kill innocent people in Iraq so we can have their oil - tell me if that's not horrific.…Expand

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8

HowardR.Sep 21, 2007

I thought the movie was really good! I can't believe some people are giving this 2s or 3s. It got a little boring in a couple parts, but as a whole, the film was very interesting and kept you watching. Yes, the subject matter is a I thought the movie was really good! I can't believe some people are giving this 2s or 3s. It got a little boring in a couple parts, but as a whole, the film was very interesting and kept you watching. Yes, the subject matter is a little disturbing, and the ending a little crazy, but just look at it like a fictional story, and not something thats supposed to be perfectly realistic.…Expand

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9

DialloGrantJul 31, 2009

Perfume is a visually lavish dark fairy tale about an obsessive man seeking beauty and recognition in a morally void society. The protagonist is born with a super-human sense of smell, a will to live, and nothing more. Born and bred in aPerfume is a visually lavish dark fairy tale about an obsessive man seeking beauty and recognition in a morally void society. The protagonist is born with a super-human sense of smell, a will to live, and nothing more. Born and bred in a world where life is treated as a distant and vulgar second to money, we see the development of a man who relates to beauty only as possession, one more smell to be collected and preserved. Finding the women who possess these scents to be obstacles to his obsession, he murders them, destroying them in the process of creating the most powerfully exquisite scent the world has ever known. It is not until the end of the film when he finally glimpses the dimension of beauty that issues from contact, from sharing--in a word, love--that he is able to feel any form of remorse. Until then his quest to objectify and possess beauty and to force upon the world the value of his existence is mirrored by the society around him, from the brutal exploitation of the Parisian slums to the trophies and conceits of the nobility. Perfume is a sensual marvel of a movie that explores morality and the profane in a lyrical way.…Expand

Just mind-blowing! Although there are some professional points to be made here and there (as one can read on the critic reviews), the movie shines because it makes unexpectedly deep (mind-blowing) connections. It talks about ideals (the man'sJust mind-blowing! Although there are some professional points to be made here and there (as one can read on the critic reviews), the movie shines because it makes unexpectedly deep (mind-blowing) connections. It talks about ideals (the man's search for absolute in his art, and the inevitable sacrifices). For that alone it stands as a great movie! (even more of an achievement when you think about the endless amount of mainstream mediocre holywood junk that's being produced out there).…Expand

I am not one to write reviews of anything, but reading the negative reviews on this site has prompted be to write something. This film is beautiful, I think the people leaving these absurd reviews have completely missed the entire point ofI am not one to write reviews of anything, but reading the negative reviews on this site has prompted be to write something. This film is beautiful, I think the people leaving these absurd reviews have completely missed the entire point of the film. The film so perfectly encapsulates the desires of young men, in an intriguing and absolutely surreal way. The ending is not absurd at all, it is a metaphor to make one question their own desires. My favorite aspect of this film by far is the music, the music during the most poignant scenes is simply art.…Expand